Therapeutic electrode



June 17, 1924.

A. J. TYLER THERAPEUTI C ELECTRODE Filed Se t. 10, 1921 2- SheeLs-Shee1.1

June 17, 1924. 1,498,059

- A. J. TYLER THERAPEUTIC ELECTRODE Filed Sept. 10. 192] 2 Sheets-Sheet2 Patented June 17, 1924.

UNITED STATES nation J. TYLER,'OF nocnnstrna, NEWYORK; JOHN B. ABBOTTEXEc ESTATE or SAID narrow J. TYLER, nncnasnn.

1,498,059 PATENT or fice,

151103 013 THE THERAPEUTIC ELECTRODE.

Application filed September 1821. Serial No. 499,595.

To, aZZ who-m it may conce n:

Be, it known that I, AARON J. TYLER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Rochester, in the county of Monroe and 5 State of New York,have invented certain newand useful Improvements in TherapeuticElectrodes, of which the following is a isl pecification. V i*hisinvention relatesto appliances for 10 the therapeutic application ofthe electric current, and more particularly to an electrode in the formof a metallic mat adapted to be applied to the part of the body to betreated. I

One of the primaryv objectsvofthe present inventioncis to providea matwhich, notwithstanding its necessarily metallic nature,

Will be so constructed as to conform closely to the contour of the partof the body to be treated and against which itis' applied. Considerableinconvenience and sometimes injury results from the use of electrodes ofthe usual type inasmuch as itany part of the electrode is placed closeto the body Without being, in actual contact therewith, a spark gap willbe produced, and the treatment becomes painful both during the period ofapplication of the electrodeand .also subsequently, if the flesh isblistered, Therefore the present invention contemplates the provision ofan electrode in the form or a fieXible metallic mat adapted to be laidin close contact with the part ofthe body to be treated and to conformclosely to the contour of such part so that there will be no likelihoodof some one portion oranother of the mat becoming displaced so as to bespaced from the body and form a 'sparkgap.

object of the invention is to pro- Another vide, in connection with amat oi the type above outlined, novel means whereby a cona doctorterminal may be readily electrically connected with the mat and withoutany likelihood of the weight of the conductor or a pull thereon causingdisplacement of the mat.

In th accompanying "drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view illustratingthe mat embodying the invention in use; Figure. 2 is a plan View indetail of the mat;

V Figure 3 is a perspective view illustrating the connection providedfor the conductor terminal equally as well be made inmuch smaller,

sizes for application to other partsofthe anatomy. The mat 1 in anyevent comprises a sheet of metallic mesh consisting of small interlockedrings or. links, and it will be understood, as the dirnensionis lot themat may in general be varied, *so likewise may the size ofthe meshbevaried to suit conditions. Likewiseiariy metal found suitable for thepurpos may be employed so long as it is a good conductor of electricity,and itvvill no doubt be pifeferalile to make'use of a metal which isnon-corroding. I a

' The mat 1 is marginally bound as indi cated by the numeral 8, by tape,a cloth hem, or in any other manner found desirable, and also materialmay be employed for this purpose other than cloth. In theillustratedembodiment of the invention there is shown a mat which is'of dimensionsand marginal q contour adapting it for general application to the "majorparts of the body as for example to the back or to the limbs, and inorder that the mat may be securely held in place after it has beenarranged in contact with the portion of the body to betreated,'attaching tapes may be securedi'to the margin of the mat at'suitable points. In the present instance, tapesA-V will be: se-' curedto the upper corners of the mat, tape 5 to the lower corners, and othertapes 6 to the opposite sides: of the matvat any point suitably spacedbetweentthe attached ends of the tapes 4 and 5. In thisarrangement, thetapes 5 and 6 maybe passed and r tied about the body atand abovethe-waist line, assuming that themat is to be ap plied to the back inabout the pos tion lllustrated in Figure 1. ofthe drawingsyand the othertapes 4E may be led upwardly and over the shoulders and tied at theirfree ends so as to support the mat against downward displacement.

At this point it will be evident that the mat, being of mesh materialwill, when a plied to any part of the anatomy, close y conform to the.contour thereof automatically, and without the "necessity of a carefularrangement of the various portions of its area. Consequently in makinguse of the mat embodying the invention the patient being subjected totreatment, is not liable to suffer any inconvenience or injury such asis occasioned in the use of the ordinary'electrode having an inflexiblecontact surface, Also 1t Wlll be evident that, because of the peculiarcharacter of the contact surface of the mat embodying the invention, thesurface will conform closely to the contour of any'part of the body uponwhich the mat is laid, the mesh accommodating itself automatically todepressed portions of the body surface as Well as to raised portionsthereof.

The mat will of course be employed in connection with an electricalconductor usually k the clip 8 of the conductor cord 7 may beelectrically connected with the mat without likelihood of the weight ofthe cord or any pull exerted thereon causing displacement of the mat tospace any portion of the l area thereof from the surface of the body.

The means referred to comprises two members indicated one by the numeral.9 and the other by the numeral 10. The member '9 constitutes a bearingmember and is pref- 40 erably in the nature ofa flat strip of sheetmetal which is disposed against the inner surface of the mat and isdesigned to rest snugly against'the surface of the body when the mat islaid over the part tobe treated.

The member 10 constitutes a connecting member and is preferably formedfrom "sheet metaland comprises a flatsided body ll provided with a shankportion 12 offset with relation to the body 11 preferably in a 750'plane substantially parallel thereto. by an intervening bend 13. A rivetor pivot pin or similar connecting or fastening element 14 is securedthrough the shank portion 12 ,of the member 10 and through one end of 5the member 9, passing also through the'mat 1, and this element 14-serves to pivotally connect the members 9 and 10 to the mat so thatthese members may be swung in lunison' in any desired direction aboutthe element 14 as a center. By reason of the bend 13 in the'shank 12 ofthe member 10, the body 11 of the said member is spaced withrelationtothe mat 1 a sufficient distance. to permit of the ready application"of the clip 8 to the body 11 of the said member 10. The clip may beapplied at the most convenient angle and it will be understood thatafter the mat has been applied and bound to the body, and the clip 8 ofthe conductor cord 7 is. attached to the body 11 of the member 10, thecord will assume a position of repose, and because of the pivotalconnection of the member 10 with the mat, this member willswing aboutits pivot to accommodate itself to the position assumed by the cord. Inlike manner should thecord be displaced in any direction, thev member 10will pivot upon theimat to assume a position permitting" of the changedposition of the-cord and this without in any way lifting the mat fromthe body so as to space the same and cause the formation of a spark gap.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is: l l 1. Atherapeutic electrode comprising a flexible contact member. a bearingmember disposed against one surface of theconta'ct .member and adaptedto'rest upon the surface of the body when the electrode is in use. aconnecting member comprismg an at taching' shank portion disposedagainst the other surface of the contact member opp'o- 7 site one end ofthe bearing member. a pivot pin titted through the connecting member andcontact memberand provldinc'for free independent adjustment of the saidcontact a and connecting members, the connecting member having a portionoffset with relation to. its shank and ofsubstantially flat circularform adaptingit for the connection thereto. at various angles and invarious positions, of a conductor terminal clip.

2. A therapeutic electrode comprising a flexible contact member. apiyotwpin sup-- ported upon the said member. and aconnecting membercomprising an attaching shank portion pivotallv connected with the saidpivot pin and resting flatup'on tlie surface of the flexiblecontactmemben the said shank portion having an upwardly inclinedportion, and a portion of substantially fiat circular form supported atthe upper end thereofand thereby spaced from the surface of the saidflexible contact member.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

AARON J. TYLER. 1 1

